Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine 2018;5(3):204-207

doi:10.15441/ceem.17.252

Heparin-free extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a patient with severe pulmonary contusions and bronchial disruption.

Kyoung Min RYU 1 ; Sung Wook CHANG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Lung injury; Bronchi; Heparin; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Pulmonary contusion complicated with endobronchial hemorrhage is potentially life-threatening, particularly in patients with tracheobronchial tree disruption and severe airway bleeding after blunt trauma, and pose a high mortality risk. In such cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used as a salvage treatment modality. However, the use of ECMO for moribund trauma patients with respiratory failure may be limited for several reasons, such as intractable bleeding. In this case report, we describe a patient with severe bilateral pulmonary contusions with tracheobronchial tree disruption that was successfully treated using heparin-free venovenous ECMO.